HB 456, titled "Pesticide Amendments," restricts the use of specific pesticides near schools in Utah. It prohibits applying 10 listed chemicals - including glyphosate, atrazine, chlorpyrifos, and certain fluorinated substances - within 1,000 feet of any school boundary, defined as the school's property line or adjacent areas used for education. For pesticides not banned by the bill, applicators must post signs 72 hours before and after application within the 1,000-foot zone, excluding biopesticides and antimicrobials. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026, and applies directly to pesticide users near elementary or secondary schools.
SB 249 establishes a Labor Relations Board to oversee collective bargaining for public employees in Utah. The bill creates a board with five members (the Labor Commission commissioner plus four governor-appointed members representing employers and employees) and sets rules for representation elections, mandatory bargaining between public employers and unions, and dispute resolution through mediation or arbitration. It prohibits police officers from striking and requires unions to represent all employees without discrimination. The bill also outlines procedures for investigating unfair labor practices and administering collective bargaining agreements, affecting all state and local government employees covered by the new rules.
HB 523 prohibits Utah's Office of Homeless Services from using state funds to establish or operate shelters with 300 or more beds year-round (defined as "large-scale, low-barrier shelters"), excluding temporary emergency shelters. It repeals a law allowing eminent domain for unincorporated city-owned land related to homeless services and makes technical updates to existing statutes. The bill does not appropriate new funding and specifically restricts state appropriations, not federal funds. It affects how state money can be allocated for homeless shelter infrastructure but does not change services for temporary shelters or existing homeless management systems.
SB 266 modifies Utah counties using a council-manager government structure by shifting executive authority from the county manager to the elected county council. It prohibits the council from delegating executive or elected officer duties to the manager, limits manager employment contracts to four years (banning automatic renewals or special severance), and bars unelected staff from performing elected officials' roles. The bill also requires council members to represent single districts (not at-large) and ensures the council, not the manager, holds final decision-making power on county operations. These changes directly affect counties operating under the council-manager system, altering how local government is structured and managed.
HB 526 requires Utah school districts to request a welfare check for students absent 10+ consecutive days under specific conditions: if parents failed to notify the school, didn’t home-school, didn’t unenroll the student, ignored school communications, and the student isn’t enrolled elsewhere. The bill mandates referrals to local law enforcement or child services solely to verify the student’s safety, not to replace other actions. It does not require schools to take additional steps beyond the welfare check referral. The law takes effect May 6, 2026, with no new funding or procedural changes beyond the referral process.
HB 525 creates the Child Care Center Employee Subsidy Pilot Program, which provides subsidies to licensed child care centers to reduce tuition costs for their own employees' children. It directly affects licensed child care centers (eligible employers) and their staff (eligible employees) who enroll children at the center but don't qualify for standard income-based subsidies. The program allows centers to receive up to 50% of average monthly tuition costs for each eligible employee's child, funded by a $3 million appropriation from the General Fund for fiscal year 2027. Funds in the new restricted account are designated as nonlapsing, ensuring they remain available for the program's duration. The bill amends existing child care subsidy laws to establish this targeted support, preventing duplicate benefits for the same child under other subsidy programs.
HB 532 creates a three-year School-based Behavioral Health Pilot Program administered by Utah's Department of Health and Human Services. The program awards funds to qualified organizations (implementation partners) to help schools establish a tiered mental health support system, including universal screenings, group counseling for at-risk students, and individualized care. Local schools (LEAs/RESAs) must apply to participate, contract with an implementation partner, and follow specific guidelines for delivering mental health services across four tiers of support. The bill coordinates with existing initiatives like SafeUT Crisis Line and does not appropriate new state funds. It directly affects Utah public schools participating in the pilot and their students.
HB 459 gives sexual assault victims more control over how their case is handled. Victims can choose to receive medical treatment without reporting to police, or opt for a "limited report" (sharing only basic details) instead of a full report. The bill creates "restricted kits" for evidence collection that can be stored without testing or tested only partially, while ensuring medical costs remain the same regardless of reporting choice. It also requires a tracking system for restricted kits and updates definitions of "sexual offense" and "medical examination" to align with these new procedures. This directly affects victims, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and forensic services in Utah.
SB 274 provides supplemental funding to Utah's local schools based on student reading assessment results. It directs the state board to give additional literacy coaching support to school districts (LEAs) and small schools (under 300 students) where average reading performance falls below statewide averages on benchmark assessments. Funding amounts are set as half a full-time equivalent for most districts and a full-time equivalent for small schools showing significant reading growth gaps. The bill does not appropriate new state funds but triggers existing budget allocations based on prior year assessment data, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 517 prohibits public schools in Utah from allowing "sensitive materials" (defined as pornographic or indecent content under strict legal standards) in classrooms, libraries, or on school property. It requires schools to immediately remove challenged materials during reviews, limits parents or students to three annual challenges per academic year, and mandates a two-step review process prioritizing objective standards first. Exceptions include medical courses, family science classes, and materials already approved under existing rules. The bill directly affects all Utah public school students, parents, and school staff involved in curriculum decisions and material reviews.
SB 243 amends tax increment financing rules for public transit-oriented developments in designated counties. It limits new projects to a 1/3-mile radius of transit hubs, restricts total project area to 125 noncontiguous acres, and caps the capture of property tax increases at 50% (not 80%) over a 15-year period per parcel. These changes apply specifically to projects approved under the bill's framework within a 30-year overall timeline. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Rules Committee after committee recommendations failed.
HB 542 repeals Utah's existing requirement for government agencies to implement "zero trust architectures" under Section 63A-16-214. This provision, enacted in 2023, mandated specific cybersecurity protocols for state agencies. The bill removes this requirement without replacing it with new rules. It takes effect on May 6, 2026, impacting how Utah state agencies manage cybersecurity compliance. The repeal has no associated funding or new implementation mechanisms.
